Safety-envelop



I (No Model.)

B. N. SMITH.

SAFETY ENVELOP.

No. 596,387. Patented Dec.. 28, 1897.

, Ali

INVE/VTUR ATTORNEYS.

. UNITED STATES ,ATENT Frrcn.

RUTH NEWEY SMITH, OF PATOHOGUE, NEWV YORK.

SAFETY-ENVELO P.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,387, datedDecember 28, 1897.

Application filed April 5, 1897. Serial No. 630,749. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUTH NEWEY SMITH, of Patchogue, in the county ofSufiolk and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedSafety-Envelop, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to a novel envelop primarily for use as a closurefor letters, but

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts inall the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of the blank for the envelop as itappears in a fiat unfolded condition. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blankshown in Fig. 1 and partially folded. Fig. 3 isa rear view of theenvelop in a folded and partially-secured condition. Fig. 4 is anenlarged transverse sectional view of thedevice shown in Fig. 3, taken,substantially, on the line a 4 in said figure. Fig. 5 is a front view ofthe envelop folded as illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a front View ofthe envelop shown in the preceding figures, representing the same in acompletely folded and secured condition. Fig. 7 is a plan view of theenvelop-blank having additional novel features of construction and inpartially-folded adjustment, and Fig. 8 is a front view of the foldedenvelop having a modified means for securing the same in a foldedcondition. In Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, which illustrate an embodimentofmy invention in its simplest form, the envelop-blank shown in Fig.

1 comprises a sheet of paper or other suitable material having arectangular side portion 10, defined by dotted lines in said figure.From the portion 10, that when the envelop is folded constitutes itsfront, two end flaps 11 of substantially the same marginal form areintegrally projected.

The flaps 11 are preferably made parallel on their side edges and equalin width the width of the portion 10, the said end flaps havingsufficient length to considerably overlap when folded fiat one upon theother, as is indicated in Fig. 2. The ends of the flaps ll have each alocking tab a formed thereon, and these tabs project transversely fromoppositeside edges of the flaps 11, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Preferably the lookingportions of the tabs at, which are out free fromthe end portions 60' of the flaps 11, are rendered semicircular incontour, whereby said tabs a are adapted to be manually adjusted whenthe flaps are folded to be passed into the longitudinal slots 12, formedin said flaps for their reception. It will be seen that if the tabs aare inserted to the tabs not only facilitates their insertion throughthe slots Z7, but assures the interlocking connection of one flap 11with the other, if draft strain be applied to'open the folded letter orpackage of which the novel envelop is the cover.

On one side edge of the rectangular portion 10a flap 12 is formed, whichmay be of alength equal to twice the width of the part 10, so that thisWide flap 12 may be folded upon itself at the dotted line 0 and thenagain folded at 0, thus imposing the first fold upon the rectangularportion 10 of the envelop. While the extended length of the flap 12 maybe so reduced as to dispense with the folded portion at its free end, itis of advantage to provide such an extension, as this adds to securityof the contents of the envelop. Furthermore, it is contemplated to usethe normally inner surface of the portions 10 12 as a medium for thereception of written or printed mattersuch as a letter, deed, bond,mortgage, article of agreement, or the like-which may be secured in afolded condition by means that will presently be described, and thelength of the flap 12 enables the user to place other Written or printedmatter on the inner surface of the envelop.

On the edge of the portion 10 opposite the flap 12 a flap 13 is formedand may be shaped on its edge substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and3. The flap 13 is so reduced in width toward its free end that a tab dis afforded which may have a single lateral locking formation or ear clthereon or be provided with two of said formations or ears, the latterbeing indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8. The

. as described the degree of curvature given locking-ear is marginallycurved and somewhat exceeds a semicircle in contour, and the point as,where the circular edge of each ear merges into the neck of the tab cl,is an acute angle.

In the flap 12 two parallel slots 6 e are formed at or near thetransverse center of said flap, and in the portion 10 of the envelopanother slot 9 is produced at one side of the longitudinal center of thepart in which it is formed.

If the envelop-blank is to be completely folded, the first step is todispose the flaps 11, as shown in Fig. 2, and lock them together, so asto cover any written matter or article that is placed beneath them. Theflap 12 is now folded, first at c and then at c, which will dispose theslots 6 e, as shown in Fig. 3. The flap 13 is now folded upon theslot-ted portion of the flap 12, as represented in Fig. 3, which willpermit the insertion of its narrowed portion through the slots c e andbeneath the band e that intervenes said slots.

To completely secure the envelop, which is in the condition shown inFigs. 3 and 5, the tab (Z is folded over the front of the envelop andtucked into the slot 9, that is correctly positioned to permit such aninsertion of the tab and enable its locking engagement with thetermination of the slot it passes through, as is shown by dotted linesin Fig. (3.

111 case the envelop that has been described is to be used for sendingsamples of dry goods or other material to a prospective purchaser, whois to return such samples as have been selected to order from, theenvelop can be reversed and have a return address written or printed onthe side that was innermost when sent by the consignor, as shown in Fig.l. The flaps of the envelop, that with care may be detached withoutinjury, may again be secured by their tabs for the return of theinclosure to the consignor. If the envelop is to be sent as a sealedletter, a postage-stamp A, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6,) may beplaced on the front of the letter over the slot g and partially over thetab d, and will so secure the tab as to prevent its release from theslot in which it is inserted, unless the stamp is mutilated or the tabis torn from the flap 13.

In Fig. '7 I have shown some additional features embodied with theenvelop that has been described,which render the closure more availablefor use as a cover for a sample or like package.

part. Said tuck-pieces may each be inserted through the slots 72, thatare formed for their reception in the middle fold of the triplefolding-closure 11 11", and when thus inserted two completely-foldedsmall envelops, which may contain different samples of fabric or othermaterial, are provided.

On the flap 12 an auxiliary envelop 12 is produced, which is of a likeconstruction to the small attached envelops 11 11", this envelop 12being formed on. the free end portion of the flap 12. The blank for theenvelop represented in Fig. '7, with the exception of the provision ofthe auxiliary closures 11 11 l2 thereon, is substantially the same incontour as the blank represented in Fig. 1, and its end flaps 11 areadapted in a like manner to be detachably locked together by the tabs atand slots 1), that are essentially similar to those details in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that the envelop having the closures 11 11 12 appendedto its main flaps may be folded into the rectangular form represented inFig. 8, and have either a single tab for detachably securing the foldedenvelop or be provided with the pair of oppositely-proj ected tabs (1.(Shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8.) If the tabs (1 are provided, they maybe introduced through the slot g by first folding one of said tabstoward the other one, which will permit the narrow neck of the [lap 12)and tabs thereon to be slid through the slot g. After the tabs (1 havebeen passed through the slot 9 the folded tab may be unfolded into aflat condition by using any pointed instrument, such as a pin orsharpened lead-pencil, which will complete the closing of the envelop ina secure manner.

The improved safety-envelop if made from thin sheet metal that may befolded, such as light sheet-tin or aluminium, will be of great servicein the preservation of valuable documents against destruction by mice orother vermin.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Iatent A safety-envelop, comprising a blank, hav ing twofoldable end flaps, locking-tabs on said end flaps that may engage slotsin said flaps when the end flaps are folded, and two side flaps one ofwhich is adapted for double folding and is provided with a keeper-bandproduced by two spaced slots therein, the opposite flap being narrowedtoward the free end whereon a locking-tab is laterally formed, said taband the neck of the flap being adapted to pass below the keeper-bandwhen the envelop is folded, and the lateral tab to be interlocked with asingle slot provided in the front side of the envelop, substantially asdescribed.

RUTH NEWEY SMITH.

Witnesses:

AUGUSTA J. S. WnEKs, MAY WEBBER.

